Once an astrologer asked Amma “what is your Raasi (Zodiac Sign)?” Raasi, in Telugu apart from Zodiac house, also means “heap”. Amma promptly replied “My rashi is “heap of Rice ”.
On a different occasion, another Astrologer, eager to demonstrate his prowess before Amma, offered to answer any question in his familiar field of knowledge. At once Amma asked “when will a day come on this earth where no one suffers pangs of hunger?”
In the above instances, while both the questioners were found dumb with Amma’s reply, it is just an example of Amma’s innate, constant concern for satisfying the hunger of her children, reflecting essential nature of motherhood. Children not confined to her family in the limited sense. Her family is a universal family – the entire creation.
This concern is what makes Anasuya Devi, known worldwide as “Jillellamudi Amma” the Divine Mother.
Many perceive Her as Divine Incarnation of so and so God and pursue their faith based on the above perception. Or one may perceive Her as Universal Guru based on her teachings and revelations of deep philosophical intricacies in simple language which throws a new light on the complexities hitherto unknown.
Amma neither accepts or rejects categorically any of the above perceptions. But one thing she always conveys, declares and emphasizes is that She is “The Mother ”. Mother of All – animate or inanimate, human or otherwise. She never deviated from this fact. She gave no scope for any ambiguity on this subject. There is no variation in this even by omission.
Is this not enough for anyone to regard Her as Divine and offer worship? If not, let us consider this incident in her childhood.
Amma came from an upper middle-class family and as the custom goes, there used to be several gold ornaments on her body. On an occasion while traveling with her mother, in the Railway station, she saw beggars seeking alms. Without a second thought, she removed one of her gold bangles and dropped into the lap of the beggar!! The fisherman who robbed her entire jewelry and tried to annihilate her was also her object for absolute compassion. A total change in his outlook was brought about with her kindness.
The Divinity as Amma clarified is nothing but a sympathetic vibration for others suffering. What we have to learn from Amma is patience, compassion and empathy for others.